Thunder storms

Well I've been living in Italy now for a few months... and I am slowly finding words and ways of understanding being here. The first months were not easy. I was alone. I didn't speak the language. But mostly, I hadn't figured out a story to tell myself about why I was here.

I had a story in Oregon -- family, friends, mountains, and the Oregon Coast. Born and raised. Understood. It was where everyone knew my name.

I had a story in New Zealand -- creating a home in our new home, building community, planning to adopt a puppy, and finding a way to make my way as an AAC clinician... oh, and the rowing of course!

But here -- the words I found did not sound like me; Words like "trailing spouse" and "engineering student."

But then slowly slowly, I started finding ways to be me... I read what I wanted at school, I showed our first Kiwi visitors the sights, I added tomato to my pesto pasta (to the shock of the locals), I moved the bed so I could see the hills out the window, I laughed at the grammar attacks my roommate and I thrust upon each others' native language, I navigated 2 trips to the ER, and I started to feel the beauty in me again.
And as I did.. I started to be able to see the beauty of Genova, bit by bit, and this strange, old, sometimes grumpy city let herself gradually be revealed.
I still can't see it like some can, but I think I just might with time.

so many goodbyes

my battle with lastitist

i know it is not helpful, but everything i touch and do has become a question of 'is this the last time i do this before i go?"

i present exhibit a - the last week of wind to study for windows of rowable water:
if i can't look at the weather without crying, how am i going get thru this week!

Preparing to go

We've entered the last phase of our current time in New Zealand. Although we plan to return, we will be based in Italy for the next few years. It is hard to imagine not waking to the view out our windows, to the neighbors driving by honking to see if we'll race out to join them for a coffee at the local cafe, to being able to wander up to the big house for medicine, food, and most importantly good conversation.
You never know what lovely evening awaits you at the big house. Last night it was Dai celebrating his new kilt with a dram of whiskey in the kitchen and then a living through of lovely people from Iran -- all with stories to tell. Some uplifting some very sad.

Then in the morning, you return to the every day life on the farm...
And little reminders of the life I am leaving behind....
... for now.

Sunday wander

A friend invited me to the city to watch the dragon boating... I completely missed it, but found myself wandering about the city on a lovely warm autumn day. I'd been meaning to do this for awhile, to just walk about exploring the city I know pretty well now, and was really glad I found the time to do it. I know I probably won't have time to go for a long wander like this again before my flight to Italy, but it was nice to do it when there still were enough days left on the calendar that I could trick myself into thinking that it might not be the last time...

Civic Sqaure decked out for the Arts Festival

Boat sheds which will have a neighboring building next to it by the time I return to Wellington

The harbour that I've rowed on, kayaked on, picnicked next to, photographed, and taken my favourite twins for ferry rides on.

Everyday the harbour is the first awesome thing I see as I headed to work.

School kids warf jumping after the dragon boating

The love of friends

I am going to very much miss having my friends over for dinner at the cottage. The flow of playing with toys, to eating, to a walk around the property, followed by goodbyes at the car are so familiar to my childhood. Last weekend dear friends came over and we went through the nature flow of a relaxed evening together.... but I think all of us had a sense that we might not get to do this again, in this place, for awhile.

We were served a lovely wooden veggie soup as an appetizer:



While connect four battle was being fought:

After dinner, I went for a walk with the girls to pet chickens and feed horses:

And then Traveler went for a second walk, while I chatted over coffee and cream inside:Perfect Saturday night in my book.

Preparations

Every week we head up to Vic University to learn a bit of Italian.

It is slow going for a variety of reasons. I am just so much more into doing things one last time here in New Zealand. Every day I check the water to see if its rowable. I would love to feel comfortable in the single before I am trying to rowing in a shipping lane in Genova. But instead I just make very very modest gains in Italian and rowing and packing and everything else I'm trying to do before I go.

Counting the Days

I've been rather infrequent at posting here... there are a few excuses. The attack of the varied viruses from Swine flu to something that felt a lot like Mono. I quit my job. I started training 2 times a day.

But mostly, I've been preparing myself for our upcoming move to Italy. Yes yes I know, WOW how exciting, but I have to remind you that New Zealand is to me, what Italy seems to be to everyone we meet. Everyone seems to want to live or visit Italy. Even people who live here. I am sure it is lovely, and I am super keen to learn another language, but I LOVE it here and my life here and all that here represents to me.

So for those who haven't heard, my husband has been offered a 3 year post in Italy. I'll be doing a PhD in gesture recognition or something like that in the human machine interface area of the institute. It is all a great adventure.. or something.

Ah well, so now that we have less than a month left in NZ and I can finally think about the move without gut breaking sobs, I am going to try to post a bit more to document for myself these final days.

So today... the Poles going away party.

Our neighbors have been hosting two Polish folks the past month and tonight we enjoyed their food.

The walk up...

The food prep...



And the joy of sharing food around a kitchen island.

Man I'll miss it here.

Wellington Champs

This year we stayed at home and attended the Wellington Champs. It was a lovely sunny day, and the water was nice for the most part...
It started like any other day, well actually a bit earlier at 5:45 because first races were at 6:45. It was a bit stressful in the boathouse. The first crews rowed their boats over to the racing, and while you gotta love getting out of boating rigging and trailer loading, when some of the boats have problems it's tricky when no one is around cuz they are already at the races.

But man, isn't the harbour lovely early in the morning.
I will so miss this. What makes it even nicer is that you know that you get to share it with people you know, that they are waiting for you while you drag yourself out of bed and down the hill to morning training.

Then comes the heat and waiting around of race day.

Here is our coach giving our new coxswain some pointers.

And we eat...
And at this regatta dogs are allowed... too bad that just about when this photo was taken, Traveler accidentally side swiped one of our rower's parent's cars!

Owen hopped in the boat for a 'dry' row to check his feet. And then they raced in our mighty mixed crew... too bad the officials didn't let them acutally race and they had to race down the outside of the course. There was only one other crew in the final for this one, so rather silly that they were turned away at the start.

And the mighty club women modeling their guns and new crew gear.
Not the best of racing for my crews this day, but I still walked away thinking, Man this is the last time I race on our home water with my crew. It's like senior year all over again. Everything feels like a "last."

Horses!!!

BABY horse appeared when we return to our house one day!

kapiti island trip

We finally made it to Kapiti Island.

....Finally...

as in I had one place I really wanted to visit on my list of "MUST DO BEFORE WE LEAVE NZ" I figured one place was a reasonable goal. I also say finally because my friend Susan and I had been talking about doing this for months, and my ability to book a trip was a bit lack luster. But it was lovely.

The native birds come right up to you

.
We went for a guided walk and learned all about the plants, Maori history, animal life, and DOC projects.


There were paths by the sea...

and through the grassy flat lands....And up through the forested steep hills...
And plenty of places to just sit and wait for the birds to come and share some space with you...
The younger set did get a tad restless of sitting and waiting for birds to dazzle them, so we got out my camera and played around with its high burst setting. I had no idea how fun this can be!




We finished up the day playing in the warm sea water.
It has been said that once, in the not so distant past, the water between the island and the mainland -- all 5 km -- was so full of whales that it would keep you up at night!
And the trees were in bloom!
Better still we got to share the experience with our dear friend from Australia!